SIGN PLEASE

As I walked towards the patient, I saw a young lady sitting on a chair clenching her chest with her left hand and holding a 5 week old baby with the other. She said I woke up with this crushing chest pain. I feel I have been kicked in the chest. Pain was heavy, not worsening with breathing. She had cold sweats and was feeling nauseated. There were no co-morbids.

Nurse shouted her pulse is 56, BP 138/66, SpO2 97% on air. She is afebrile. We got her on the trolley, moved her to resus, cannulated and gave her analgesia.

Examination was unremarkable.

Cardiologist were called and a decision to activate the cath lab was taken. Reluctant to let go of her baby, we reassured mom that both of you will be reunited soon.

Angiography showed that patient had developed Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection(SCAD)

The culprit vessel was successfully stented and she made a full recovery.